Architect and Builder November/December 2018 | Page 7

COBA AFRICA LAUNCHES
ENTRANCE ARCHITECT
MOBILE APP
A thoughtfully designed and aesthetically
pleasing entrance creates a lasting impres-
sion on a visitor. Correctly specified entrance
matting not only enhances this experience,
it provides three critical additional benefits:
keeping floors safer through reducing the risk
of slips; supporting hygiene by controlling
contaminants being tracked into the building;
and helping to protect and preserve the
lifespan of interior floor coverings.
The concept of containing dirt and
moisture at the entrance of a building
requires a well specified, regularly cleaned
and maintained entrance matting system, of
sufficient length so as to provide an effective
barrier and keep interiors cleaner. The ISSA
states that on average a person brings in
58g of dirt per day. If 1,000 people enter the
building, that equals over half a kilo of daily dirt.
Very few people stop to wipe their feet on entering a public building, so the more people
that cross the threshold, the longer the walk off area should be. We recommend a minimum
of 6 footsteps in length; this equates to 3-4 metres for less than 80 people per hour, and up
to 9-12m for high footfall areas subjected to over 2,000 people per day.
Architects and designers should also consider the material type of the product when
specifying. To ensure optimum efficacy the material needs to be suitable for the specific
environment in which the product is to be installed. Very often, entrance matting systems
incorporate a combination of surface materials that perform different functions. For instance,
some materials wipe moisture better than others; some dry quicker or are more resilient to
crushing and staining, while others have superior dirt scraping properties.
Given the numerous factors that need to be considered for optimal durability, functionality
and performance, COBA Africa has created an app to make your choices easier.
The Entrance Architect mobile app offers expert advice right at your fingertips. It features
five easy steps, with simple questions, to walk you in the right direction. Even when you are
out of the office you can quickly find the correct matting to fit your exact needs. Entrance
Architect can be downloaded on both iTunes and the Google Play store.
www.matting.co.za
NEWSWORTHY
NEW ASAQS GUIDE TO
LIFE CYCLE COSTING
There is a growing need among
both public and private sector
building
owners
developers
to
and property
gain greater
insight into what their buildings
will
actually
cost
them
over
their lifespan. The Association
of South African Quantity Sur-
veyors (ASAQS) has launched
a new document that will guide
professionals in the built environ-
ment
on
the
importance
of
calculating the Life Cycle Cost of
a building and how to calculate
these costs.
“The production of this document
is part of the ASAQS mandate
to provide value back to our
members
by
equipping
them
with resources that will enhance
their service offering back to their
clients,” explains Larry Feinberg,
ASAQS Executive Director.
Life Cycle Costing (LCC) is the total
costs of an asset over its entire
operating
life,
including
initial
acquisition costs, and subsequent
running costs. Traditionally, the
most important factor taken into
account
when
considering
the
development of a project are the
initial capital costs.
The running costs of a building
over the long term, however, far
outweigh the initial capital costs,
which
means
that
everyone
involved should reconsider their
approach to the materials and
equipment they choose and the
design decisions and construction
methods they opt for.
The document is the product of
years of work. The main con-
tributors to the document are
Dr.
Hoffie
Cruywagen
of
the
University of Pretoria, Dr. Deen
Letchmiah, Chairperson of the
Board of Directors of LDM Con-
sulting
and
President
of
the
SACQSP, and Danie Hoffman, a
Board Member of the ASAQS.
www.asaqs.co.za
The Associa on
of South African
Quan ty Surveyors
News Watch
7